Round One Grants

This first round of grantmaking from the COVID-19 Response Fund housed at Seattle Foundation focuses on our region’s most vulnerable populations—those who have been affected first and hardest by the coronavirus crisis. These grants provide resources to frontline organizations who are delivering emergency assistance, such as rent support, food security, healthcare, and childcare.

In close collaboration with the Pandemic Community Advisory Group, Seattle Foundation, United Way of King County, and our Fund partners, we tapped into our deep community knowledge to elevate nonprofits that aligned closely with our focus on emergency assistance within disproportionately impacted communities. In order to move resources quickly and not burden an already overwhelmed system, we did not host a formal application process for these grants. We collectively considered the track record of each organization, especially groups who effectively serve the unique needs of people who struggle to access traditional services. The Pandemic Community Advisory Group, composed of more than 40 local leaders and experts vetted and validated the selection process at each step along the way.

The needs in our community are great and growing, and the scope of this crisis will require aid from many different public and philanthropic sources. We continue to encourage everyone to give to the causes and organizations they care about, including those that are not included in this slate of grants. Now is the time to double down for our community.

Later rounds of grantmaking from the Fund will adapt to the evolving community needs as the situation continues to unfold.

Grantees

Each of the grantees selected for funding is working in one or more of four strategic areas. They represent a wide range of approaches that serve different and target populations and geographies. Organizations were chosen because they have strong community relationships along with the culturally, linguistically, and racially specific skills to address particular needs and circumstances. We invite you to learn more about all of these grantees doing vital work in our community.

Wherever possible, each grantee below links to a donation page where you can give to them directly.* Indicates that this grantee is addressing multiple strategies and is therefore listed in multiple sections. These grantees are only receiving one grant in the amount listed.

Immediate Needs

Persistent inequities in our region have left some workers, families, and residents even more economically vulnerable during this crisis as many critical services and support have now closed, such as communities of color, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and people at risk of intimate violence. These grantees are addressing their needs.

Health Support

The coronavirus crisis has increased demand for health support and information, particularly among residents who have limited English proficiency, those without health insurance and/or sick days, and those with increased health risks. These grantees are addressing their needs.

Reduced and Lost Work

Some workers and families in our community are facing immediate economic consequences due to reduced and lost work, including gig workers, day workers and hourly workers, and those in disproportionately affected industries like the service industry. These grantees are addressing their needs.

Fear and Confusion

As the current crisis unfolds, fear and confusion are rising among vulnerable communities—such as undocumented workers and families, and residents with limited English proficiency—in response to an increase in hate crimes and violence directed toward them. These grantees are addressing their needs.

*4C Coalition, $25,000: 4C Coalition mentors vulnerable youth in King County, securing and transforming the lives of Black children by inspiring, recruiting, and mobilizing masses of caring Black men and women to mentor and nourish them. Programs focus on the emotional, social, and academic development of children and the wellness of the adults who parent, mentor, and educate them.

*African Community Housing & Development, $50,000: African Community Housing & Development improves the lives of the African Diaspora in King County through education, housing and social services, as well as family engagement.

Africatown Community Land Trust, $100,000: Africatown Community Land Trust acquires, stewards, and develops land assets that are necessary for the Black/African diaspora community to grow and thrive in place in the Central District, and supports other individuals and organizations in retention and development of land.

All Girl Everything (AGE-UP), $25,000: AGE-UP empowers future leaders and strengthens community in Seattle’s Southend with connections and support for youth, particularly girls and their families.

Alliance for Education – Right Now Needs Fund, $50,000: Alliance for Education supports excellence in education by advancing educational justice and racial equity for students in Seattle Public Schools. The Right Now Needs Fund helps school communities meet the urgent and basic needs of students in Seattle Public Schools, with a goal of reducing the most basic barriers to student learning.

*Atlantic Street Center, $100,000: Atlantic Street Center helps families and communities in need raise healthy, successful children and youth through direct services and advocacy in order to advance social justice and equity.

Auburn Food Bank, $50,000: The Auburn Food Bank is a volunteer-directed organization that provides food, referrals, and emergency assistance to those in need.

Byrd Barr Place, $250,000: Byrd Barr Place nurtures a more equitable Seattle by enabling people and families to live healthier, more prosperous lives. Byrd Barr provides energy assistance, home heating repair, housing assistance, and personal finance services, as well as running a food bank.

Catholic Community Services, $50,000: CCS serves and supports poor and vulnerable people with integrated services and housing, focusing on individuals, children, families, and communities struggling with poverty and the effects of intolerance and racism. It also provides support for seniors and in-home care, as well as mental health and addiction recovery.

Center for Human Services, $50,000: Center for Human Services strengthens community in North King County through counseling, education, and support for children, youth, adults, and families.

Cham Refugee Community, $25,000: Cham Refugee Community serves ethnic Cham populations and newly arrived refugees from East Africa, Iraq, and Burma (Rohingya) in Seattle and surrounding areas. It helps low-income, limited English-speaking clients to meet all social service needs, such as systems navigation, referral services, and family support for youth and seniors.

*Chief Seattle Club, $250,000: Specializing in the Urban Native homeless community, Chief Seattle Club provides a safe and sacred place to rest, revive, and nurture the spirit of urban Native people in need.

Child Care Resources, $100,000: Child Care Resources improves all children’s access to high-quality early learning experiences by engaging with families, caregivers, and communities. Embedded in Child Care Resources’ daily work is identifying and addressing racism so that all children thrive in their early learning environments.

Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness, $25,000: The Coalition to End Urban Indigenous Homelessness unites providers across the Native community to build coordinated strategies to address homelessness in the urban Indigenous community.

*Community Passageways, $100,000: Community Passageways supports youth and young adults at every stage of the criminal legal process, in an effort to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-life success pipeline.

Denise Louie Education Center, $100,000: DLEC provides multi-lingual early education for kids, support and skills for new parents, and extra help for families in need.

Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, $25,000: The Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition ensures a thriving, healthy, and just environment for the greater Duwamish Valley’s residents and workers.

*El Centro De La Raza, $100,000: Grounded in the Latino community, El Centro De La Raza builds unity across all racial and economic sectors, organizing, empowering, and defending vulnerable and marginalized populations to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.

*Entre Hermanos, $100,000: Entre Hermanos promotes the health and well-being of the Latino gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy, and community building.

Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle, $25,000: Eritrean Association in Greater Seattle builds community between refugees, first-generation families, and Eritrean-Americans born in the United States. It ensures access to knowledge about heritage and history, addresses community concerns, and provides support.

*Falis Community Services, $25,000: Based in Kent, Falis Community Services focuses on remedial reading and reading encouragement, providing a wide range of supports and services to people of African descent.

FEEST, $50,000: FEEST sets the table for young people to transform the health and equity of their community by gathering around food and working towards systems change.

Filipino Community of Seattle, $50,000: Filipino Community of Seattle provides social service programs for Filipinx community members and friends. It advocates for social justice, equity, and inclusion for all people, and preserves Filipinx history and traditions through arts and cultural programs.

Food Lifeline, $50,000: Food Lifeline engages communities and mobilizes resources to end hunger in Western Washington.

*Glover Empower Mentoring, $100,000: Glover Empower Mentoring offers mentoring and case-management services to youth and young adults throughout King and Pierce Counties.

Good Shepherd Youth Outreach, $50,000: Good Shepherd Youth Outreach supports youth and families with prevention and intervention support programs that bring life-changing opportunities to young men of color in Western Washington.

Hopelink, $50,000: Hopelink serves people experiencing homelessness, promoting self-sufficiency for all members of the community.

Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank, $50,000: The Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank provides quality food, clothing, and other items, with an emphasis on healthy foods and fresh, local produce.

Kandelia, $50,000: Formerly known as the Vietnamese Friendship Association, Kandelia removes barriers to opportunities so immigrant and refugee communities can flourish without compromising values, heritage, or ethnicity. It focuses on youth development, education, and whole family support.

Lutheran Community Services, $50,000: Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) partners with individuals, families, and communities for health, justice, and hope. It serves people from all faiths, backgrounds, nationalities, cultures, and sexualities.

Multi-Service Center, $50,000: Serving South King County, Multi-Service Center addresses poverty and homelessness with comprehensive and holistic services that help to lift people from crisis and vulnerability to self-sufficiency and stability.

*Muslim Community Neighborhood Association (MCNA), $25,000: The MCNA builds strong communities as families, connecting communities and neighborhoods together using traditional family values.

MAPS-MCRC (Muslim Community Resource Center), $25,000: MAPS-MCRC is the humanitarian program of the Muslim Association of Puget Sound, providing direct social services to some of the most vulnerable across King County through emergency food and rental/utility assistance, elder care services, transitional housing for single women, free medical/free legal clinics, refugee and immigrant support, and more.

NW Harvest, $50,000: NW Harvest fights for hungry people statewide to have access to nutritious food while respecting their dignity and promoting good health.

*Open Doors for Multicultural Families, $250,000: Open Doors for Multicultural Families ensures that families with members who have developmental disabilities and special health care needs have equal access to culturally and linguistically appropriate information, resources, and services.

*Partner in Employment (PIE), $50,000: Partner In Employment works to guarantee the long-term economic stability of newly arrived refugees and immigrants in King County by providing tailored assistance in language acquisition, housing stabilization, workforce entry, and job training in higher-wage industries.

Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank, $25,000: The Pike Market Senior Center strives to make each day better and safer for older adults; the Pike Market Food Bank serves people of all ages who face hunger.

Rainier Athletes, $25,000: Rainier Athletes engages students’ core community of parents, teachers, and coaches to holistically support and motivate students to achieve their greatest potential.

SafeFutures for Youth, $25,000: SafeFutures empowers and advocates for under-served young people from low-income communities and communities of color to maximize their potential. It engages under-served youth and their families through culturally responsive academic, prevention, and intervention services in their communities.

Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, $100,000: SCIDpda is a community development organization that preserves, promotes, and develops the Seattle Chinatown International District (CID) as a vibrant community and unique ethnic neighborhood.

Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness, $100,000: Seattle King County Coalition on Homelessness improves the environment for public policy solutions and initiatives that address issues impacting the lives and futures of people who have experienced or are currently experiencing housing instability and/or homelessness.

Senior Center of West Seattle, $25,000: The Senior Center of West Seattle promotes independence and life enjoyment by providing access to medical and legal services, community housing resources, and lifelong learning opportunities.

Solid Ground, $50,000: Solid Ground works to end poverty and undo racism and other oppressions that are root causes of poverty. It offers services for housing, food, legal support, transportation, and more.

Southwest Youth and Family Services, $100,000: Southwest Youth and Family Services provides critical services in significantly under-resourced communities of Southwest King County, including Southwest Seattle, White Center, South Park, Burien, and SeaTac. It offers services in education, counseling, youth, and family development.

The Sophia Way, $50,000: The Sophia Way works to end homelessness for women in King County by providing shelter, social services, and permanent housing with support.

United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, $100,000: United Indians of All Tribes Foundation provides educational, cultural, and social services that reconnect Indigenous people in the Puget Sound region to their heritage by strengthening their sense of belonging and significance as Native people.

United Way Home Base–Rental Assistance Program, $1,500,000: The United Way Home Base–Rental Assistance Program is providing emergency rental assistance during the COVID-19 crisis, so people don’t fall behind and end up with significant debt to pay after the crisis passes.

Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, $250,000: The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle provides services and support for African American and other underrepresented communities throughout Seattle and the Puget Sound Region.

The Village of Hope Seattle, $50,000: The Village of Hope is rooted in an African/African American experience and works to address education, criminal justice, economic development and healing.

Washington CAN!, $50,000: Washington CAN! works to achieve economic fairness in order to establish a democratic society characterized by racial and social justice, with respect for diversity, and a decent quality of life for those who reside in Washington State.

Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, $100,000: Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network protects and advances the power of immigrant and refugee communities through a multiracial, multilingual, and multi-faith coalition.

Wellspring Family Services, $50,000: Wellspring Family Services is a multi-service agency serving low-income and vulnerable individuals, children, and families in Seattle and King County. Its services focus on mental health, family homelessness, early learning, and basic needs.

West Seattle Food Bank, $50,000: West Seattle Food Bank strengthens the community through the power of neighbors helping neighbors, working to ensure all in our community have access to the essential necessities of living.

WestSide Baby, $50,000: WestSide Baby provides essential items to local children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing, and equipment.

Grants addressing increased demand for health support and information

*ACRS, $250,000: ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities—including immigrants, refugees, and American-born—through efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.

African Americans Reach & Teach Health, $50,000: African Americans Reach & Teach Health is a faith-based capacity-building organization, established to respond to HIV/AIDS and other major health issues affecting people of African descent.

Alliance of People with disAbilities, $50,000: The Alliance of People with disAbilities provides empowering opportunities to King County residents with disAbilities through resource referrals and private independent living plans.

*Atlantic Street Center, $100,000: Atlantic Street Center helps families and communities in need raise healthy, successful children and youth through direct services and advocacy for social justice and equity.

*Chinese Information and Service Center, $100,000: Chinese Information and Service Center supports immigrants and their families by creating opportunities for them to succeed while honoring their heritage.

Community Health Board Coalition, $250,000: The CHBC helps shape local health services by working collaboratively to share asset-based, community-led assessment of the health priorities of eleven communities of color.

Downtown Emergency Service Center, $50,000: DESC works to end the homelessness of vulnerable adults, particularly those living with serious mental illness or substance use disorders. It provides an integrated array of comprehensive services, treatment, and housing.

*El Centro De La Raza, $100,000: Grounded in the Latino community, El Centro De La Raza builds unity across all racial and economic sectors, organizing, empowering, and defending vulnerable and marginalized populations to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world.

*Entre Hermanos, $100,000: Entre Hermanos promotes the health and well-being of the Latino gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community in a culturally appropriate environment through disease prevention, education, support services, advocacy, and community building.

International Community Health Services, $250,000: International Community Health Services provides culturally and linguistically appropriate health services to improve the wellness of King County’s diverse people and communities.

Kin On, $50,000: Kin On honors, supports, and advocates for Asian elders and families in the Puget Sound region by offering culturally and linguistically appropriate health, social, and educational services.

*Open Doors for Multicultural Families, $250,000: Open Doors for Multicultural Families ensures that families with members who have developmental disabilities and special health care needs have equal access to culturally and linguistically appropriate information, resources, and services.

Plymouth Housing, $50,000: Plymouth Housing works to eliminate homelessness and address its causes by preserving, developing, and operating safe, quality, supportive housing. It also provides adults experiencing homelessness with opportunities to stabilize and improve their lives.

Grants addressing the economic impact of reduced and lost work

*4C Coalition, $25,000: 4C Coalition mentors vulnerable youth in King County, securing and transforming the lives of Black children by inspiring, recruiting, and mobilizing masses of caring Black men and women to mentor and nourish them. Programs focus on the emotional, social, and academic development of children and the wellness of the adults who parent, mentor, and educate them.

API Chaya, $50,000: API Chaya empowers survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking to gain safety, connection, and wellness. It educates and mobilizes South Asian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and all immigrant communities to end exploitation, creating a world where all people can heal and thrive.

Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, $25,000: APALA, AFL-CIO, Seattle chapter is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers advancing workers, immigrants, and civil rights. We serve as the bridge between the broader labor movement and the AAPI community by promoting political education, civic engagement, and leadership development among AAPI workers.

*Being Empowered Through Supported Transition: B.E.S.T, $25,000: Serving the African American and Black community, B.E.S.T. provides direct services that develop equitable communities and creates opportunities to improve quality of life, enhance economic status, promote self-sufficiency, and eliminate poverty. It also promotes system change and community engagement.

*Casa Latina, $100,000: Casa Latina advances the power and well-being of Latino immigrants through employment, education, and community organizing.

*Chief Seattle Club, $250,000: Specializing in the Urban Native homeless community, Chief Seattle Club provides a safe and sacred place to rest, revive, and nurture the spirit of urban Native people in need.

Colectiva Legal del Pueblo, $50,000: Founded for and by undocumented immigrants, CLP empowers the immigrant community, addressing barriers to inclusion through legal advocacy, community education, and leadership development.

*Community Passageways, $100,000: Community Passageways supports youth and young adults at every stage of the criminal legal process in an effort to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-life success pipeline.

Fair Work Center, $100,000: The Fair Work Center empowers workers to achieve fair employment and serves as a hub for workers to understand and exercise their legal rights, improve working conditions, and connect with community resources.

Federal Way Youth Action Team, $25,000: The Federal Way Youth Action Team is a collaboration of community members that partner together to provide authentic, impactful, and relevant youth development opportunities across our community.

Foundation for Working Families, $100,000: Established by the Washington State Labor Council and the AFL-CIO and its affiliates, the Foundation for Working Families assists union families in Washington state during times of hardship or disaster.

*Glover Empower Mentoring, $100,000: Glover Empower Mentoring offers mentoring and case-management services to youth and young adults throughout King and Pierce Counties.

Kent Black Action Commission, $25,000: The Kent Black Action Commission improves and promotes the social, economic, political, spiritual, and educational conditions of the Black Community in Kent and the South King County area.

Legacy of Equality Leadership & Organizing (LELO), $25,000: LELO empowers low-income workers of color, recent immigrants, and women workers to assert their rights, improve their working conditions, and gain a voice in their workplaces, trade unions, and communities in the U.S. and across the globe.

*Neighborhood House, $50,000: Neighborhood House provides culturally and linguistically relevant services to immigrants, refugees, public housing residents, and low-income community members. We meet critical needs: securing stable jobs and housing, connecting elders and those with disabilities to resources, running preschools and afterschool programs for kids and teens, and ensuring the health of our community through prevention and testing programs.

*OneAmerica, $100,000: The largest immigrant and refugee advocacy organization in Washington state, OneAmerica organizes with and advocates for diverse communities, including Latinx, African, and Asian. It plays an active and leading role in state and national coalitions working on immigrant rights, education, economic and environmental justice, voting rights, and immigrant integration.

*Partner in Employment (PIE), $50,000: Partner In Employment works to guarantee the long-term economic stability of newly arrived refugees and immigrants in King County by providing tailored assistance in language acquisition, housing stabilization, workforce entry, and job training in higher-wage industries.

Powerful Voices, $25,000: Powerful Voices creates brave spaces with girls* of color to take charge of their own power as leaders, igniting their abilities to confidently express themselves, build community, and act against injustices affecting their lives. [*those who identify or socialize as a girl]

Puget Sound Labor Agency, $100,000: PSLA, AFL-CIO was founded in 1975 by local labor unions to serve their neighbors and to give back to their community.

Refugee Federation Service Center, $50,000: Refugee Federation Service Center connects job-ready refugees and immigrants with Puget Sound businesses and serves as a resource for local companies and agencies to foster a greater understanding of King County refugee communities.

Ventures, $50,000: Ventures empowers individuals with limited resources and unlimited potential to improve their lives through small business ownership. Ventures serves those in our community for whom traditional business development services are out of reach, with a focus on women, people of color, immigrants, and individuals with low income.

Grants addressing fear and confusion

*ACRS, $250,000: ACRS promotes social justice and the well-being and empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other underserved communities—including immigrants, refugees, and American-born—through efficient community-based multilingual and multicultural services.

*African Community Housing & Development, $50,000: African Community Housing & Development improves the lives of the African Diaspora in King County through education, housing and social services, and family engagement.

*Casa Latina, $100,000: Casa Latina advances the power and well-being of Latino immigrants through employment, education, and community organizing.

Central Area Senior Center, $25,000: The Central Area Senior Center provides physical, emotional, and spiritual resources to foster the well-being of older adults, their families, and the greater community.

*Chinese Information and Service Center, $100,000: Chinese Information and Service Center supports immigrants and their families by creating opportunities for them to succeed while honoring their heritage.

Church Council of Greater Seattle, $50,000: Church Council of Greater Seattle brings church congregations together to provide services focused on housing, economic justice, support for immigrants and refugees, and more.

Coalition of Refugees from Burma, $50,000: Coalition for Refugees from Burma promotes the self-sufficiency of all resettled refugees by helping them access services and educational opportunities, while preserving traditional customs.

Duwamish Longhouse, $50,000: The Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center provides a variety of supports to the Native community while honoring Native ancestors, preserving Native culture, and sharing Native history with all people.

Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition, $50,000: The Eastside Refugee and Immigrant Coalition is a grassroots coalition of people working in social services and health services from Eastside cities. It serves as a resource for providers who work with immigrant and refugee populations in East King County.

Education with Purpose Foundation for Pacific Islanders, $25,000: Education with Purpose Foundation for Pacific Islanders impacts the parent-to-student relationship of each Pacific Islander and family of culture that it serves. Its programs encourage families to work together in order to help their children pursue meaningful goals and higher education with purpose.

Emerging Alliance of Communities of Color (EACC), $250,000: Emerging Alliance of Communities of Color is a collaboration of seven immigrant- and refugee-serving organizations working collectively to support each other and provide culturally responsive services in light of this health crisis.

Ethiopian Community in Seattle, $25,000: Ethiopian Community in Seattle facilitates a seamless integration of all persons of Ethiopian origin into American society. It contributes to the social, cultural, and civic life of the Puget Sound area, and assists Ethiopians and Ethiopian-Americans in preserving and sharing their ancient and rich cultural heritage.

*Falis Community Services, $25,000: Based in Kent, Falis Community Services focuses on remedial reading and reading encouragement, providing a wide range of supports and services to people of African descent.

Families of Color Seattle, $25,000: Families of Color Seattle provides support through equitable parenting programs, resource-sharing, and the fostering of meaningful connections.

Indian Association of Western Washington, $50,000: IAWW works to provide a common identity for the Indian community through direct services and social, educational, and cultural programming.

Khmer Community of King County, $25,000: KCSKC advocates for and assists Khmer (Cambodian) families to achieve greater self-sufficiency and become more productive citizens. Its services include case management, information and referral, housing assistance, youth and family support, parenting classes, citizenship preparation classes and ESL, senior services, translation and immigration assistance, and more.

*Muslim Community Neighborhood Association (MCNA), $25,000: The MCNA builds strong communities as families, connecting communities and neighborhoods together using traditional family values.

*OneAmerica, $100,000: The largest immigrant and refugee advocacy organization in Washington state, OneAmerica organizes with and advocates for diverse communities, including Latinx, African, and Asian. It plays an active and leading role in state and national coalitions working on immigrant rights, education, economic and environmental justice, voting rights, and immigrant integration.

Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, $50,000: Southeast Seattle Education Coalition is a coalition of community-based organizations, schools, educators, community leaders, parents and caregivers, and concerned SE Seattle residents who are working to improve education for all children, especially those in SE Seattle and those farthest away from educational justice.

Villa Comunitaria, $25,000: Formerly known as South Park Information and Resource Center, Villa Comunitaria offers direct assistance, education, leadership programs, and other services for the low-income and diverse population of South Park and surrounding areas.

Seattle Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization. Charity Navigator has awarded Seattle Foundation four out of a possible four stars for good governance and adhering to best practices.